Saturday, June 29, 2013

Women Holding Office: Rhode Island's Pioneers in Politics, a short documentary profiling the first three Rhode Island women who to hold statewide office, will air on Rhode Island PBS Saturday, June 29 at 9:46 p.m. and 10:47 p.m. The film will also air on Saturday, July 7 during Rhode Island Stories, which starts at 7 p.m.

Susan L. Farmer, Rhode Island's
first Secretary of State

YWCA Rhode Island commissioned local photojournalist John Freidah to create the documentary as part of the organization's mission to empower women, in part by recognizing women of achievement. The three women elected to statewide office in Rhode Island who are profiled in the documentary are, in order, Susan L. Farmer, Secretary of State from 1983-86; Arlene Violet, state Attorney General from 1985-87, who also is the first woman nationwide to be elected to that position; and Kathleen S. Connell, Secretary of State from 1987-1992.

Women Holding Office: Rhode Island's Pioneers in Politics can also be viewed online by visiting youtube.com/YWCARhodeIsland.